Seal for railway cars, etc.



u Jan. 3, 1928.

C. R. MARTINEAU SEAL Foa RAILWAY CARS, ETC.

Filed Aug. 8, 1924 @www @W A fa/'Hey I /fWe/Ufof 'thereof through the eye 13, which is suf-I ticiently open to accommodate the same, although the strap fills up the eye. The strap is located endwise in the eye by means of a notch 22 which is formed in the lower end of the strap or band, and Which intervlocks With the bottom ofthe panel or eye 13,

so that bot-h ends of the strap interlock With said panel in substantially the same manner.V

The upper edges of the strap ends, Where they are superposed, are now coincident;

f' and the iiap 18 formed upon the brittle head is folded down to effect the sealing. rlhe head folds doivn upon the score lines 19 andv into corresponding notches 23 and 24 that are formed. inthe upper edges of the strap at its ends' in registry with each other, the registration `being effected by the notches and 22. The flap 18 folds right down into these notches as Will be understood'.from

Figures 5.and 7, and thereby locks the end 25 of the strap in the eye; saidflap being,

. as already explained, incapable of opening out to release the strap.

To provide' for interlocking, there 't'mfmed in the head la U-shaped slit the lower edge4 of which defines the top 27 of 'thefheadfafter folding,.and the upper edge of which defines the lower edge of the body portion of the flap 1S, this slit embracing the upper part ol the eye portion of the vheadandihcnce itresults that the flan ma 1 7 L .be foldeddoivn into the notches 23 and 211;

.formed in I`the band, Weile said band is .threaded closely into said eye 13 in the head.

.In other Words, the flap comprises side portions or leaves 28 which are relatively narrow, so as to be easily bendabl'e, and they join the main portion of the head below the Vtop of the eyev which contains the band,

vthus permitting said side portions tol be forced down into the notch 2-it in the top edge ofthe band to lock or seal the same, and also to hold the bottom notches 20, in permanent interlocking engagement with the-eye or panel 13. llVhen the flap 18 is folded down, its opening 2b gives a vieivof the eye and the strap therein, and shows lli clearly Whether the seal is unmolested. this end, the flap 18 may in some cases have a large interior notch or cutaway 29, so` that substantially the entire eye may be visible. The notches 30 in 'the side of the foldeddown part of the head are to leave exposed more vof the underlying end ofthe seal, to

. disclose Whether the seal has been tampered with or not, At the same time the iap leaves exposed the eye with the strap locked therein. The notch in the top edge of the strap absolutely insures. the locking.

The free end of the strap has an extended tag portion Slagvupon which may be impressed characters 31, whichY facilitates `instunt reading, because this part stands' out prominently from the main portion of the seal. f

The drop tag portion 16 fills a long-felt Want, when it is desired to place the imprint of a hand-tool upon the seal.

The extended left-hand end of the strap, constituting the tag portion,'need not be used in its entirety for imprint purposes when the drop tag portion is used, neither is it necessary in all cases to use the drop tag portion when the extended tag portion is used. Where a double check is desired, both tag portions are valuable. It is usually the ease that in the right-hand end of the seal the initials of the railroad are also stamped at 32. Anybody tampering With the seal 'would be likely to out it, and afterwards to push it in to the left, and then secure it, so that it would not be readily noticed that the seal hady been tampered With. But in that case a letter 31 or a portion thereof would appear boldly through a notch 30 in the folded-down flap, instead of beingpartly concealed by the flap, and this would indicate that the seal had been tampered with.

rl`he seal may be used as either a loop or a collar, to accommodate itself to the different styles of car-door fasteners. lf used as a collar, the strap is bent around the opposite Way to form the collar, as at Figure 6, and its end is thrust into the eye, as at Figure 7.

lf it is not desirable to use a tool, the tag portion 1G of the strap may be omitted, and the end of the strap isV Welded to the head.

This tag, When used, is formed on the end of the strap, and is therefore soft.

The cost of this device is very small, as it is mainly simple press Work.

ln. order to insure absolute locking, it is onlyneeessary to pass the free end ofthe strap through the eye until the recess on the :strap engages with the eye, and then press down the flap tightly, thus completing the locking operation. Unlockingor tainiiering With the seal makes itself evident. lf the scored head, which is specially treated, shouldV be bent back. for the purpose of releasing the free end of the strap, a break 'would be made at. one or more of the scoresn which are deeply pressed into the metal, and the flap would break away from thehead. Moreover, the sight-openings in the flap would expose upon inspection any attempt at tampering.

At Figure 3, the -foldable fiap is divided into two portions by means of a slit 33. At Figure 4t, one of the side leaves ofthe single flap is scored and thc other is horizontally slit at 34E to facilitate folding and bending` the device 35, and thus making detection of inpiry easier.

Variations may be resorted to within the scope of the invention, and portions of the improvements may be used Withoutothers.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: V

l. A seal 'comprising a flexible strap o'l soft metal formed with edge notches, and a head of hard and brittle metal Welded to one end thereof and having an eye receiving and interlocking' With the fi'ee end of the strap, said head foldable into the notches formed in the strap and .interlocking with the strap.

2. A seal comprising a flexible strap of soft metal formed vith edge notches between its ends, `the notches being near the ends of the strap, and a head of hard and brittle metal Welded to one -end thereof and having an eye receiving and interlocking with the free end of the strap, said head foldable into said notches formed in the strap and interlocking` with the strap, said head in the form of a plate, and said eye comprising :i panel pressed ont from said plate, and said head having a cut-away port-ion to receive the eye-panel when the head is folded.

3. A- seal comprising a flexible strap -of soft metal formed with notches between the ends thereof, said notches in the saine edge of the strap and near said ends, and a head ofhard and brittle metal Welded to one end thereof and havingan eye receiving and interlocking with the free end of the'strap. said head foldableinto said notches formed in the strap and interlocking with the strap, said head in the form of a plate, said plate formed with al pair of spaced slits delinfing a panel, and the panel pressed ont 'from the plate to form the eye and admit Lthe strap.

4. A seal' comprising a flexible strap of soft metal formed with separated notches in its top edge, and a head of lia-rd and brittle metal welded to one end thereof and having an eye receiving and interlocking with the free end of the strap, said head foldable into said notches formed .in the strap When'I looped and interlocking With the strap, said head in the forni of a plate, and said eye comprising a panel pressed ont from said plate, said strap having a pendent tag poi'- tion overlying said plate beneath said eye and partly separated from the strap by a slit.

5. A seal comprising a flexible strapof soft metal formed with a. notch in its edge, and a head of hard and brittley metal Welded thereto at one end and havingan eye receiv ing the free end of the strap and interlocking with said free end, said head having at its top a flap above said eye and foldable down into said notch formed in the strap and interlocking with the strap, said head in the form of a plate.1and said eye comprising a panel pressed out from said plate.

, 6. A seal ycomprising a flexible/strap of soft metal formed with a notch in its edge, and a head of hard and brittle metal Welded thereto at one end and having an eye receiving the fr ee'end of the strap andinterlocking with said fiee end, said head having at its top a fla-p above said eye and foldable down into saidnotch formed in the strap Aand interlocking with the strap, said head in the form of a plate, andsaid eye comprising a panel pressed out from said plate, said flap foldable down upon an axis about coincident with the top of the eye.

7. A seal comprising a flexible strap of soft metal, having notches formed in its Lipper edge, and a head of hard Vand brittle metal Welded to one end thereofand having an eye receiving the free Vend of the strap, said head foldable into said notches foi-ined in the strap and interlocking With the strap, said strap also having on its under edge a notch which interlocks with the bottom portion of the eye, the strap being Welded tothe eye with said under notch in interloeked position.

8. A seal comprising' a flexible strap of soft metal, having edge notches formed therein and a head of hardand brittle metal welded to one end thereof and having an eye receiving the fi'ee end of the strap, said head foldableinto said notches formed in the strap and interlocking with the strap, the free end of said strap insertable in said eye and filling the saine and havingl a notch to interlock With the bottom portion of said eye.

9. A seal comprising a "flexible strap of soft metal, and a head of hard and brittle metal Welded to one end thereof and having Van veye receiving the free end of the strap,

' the free end of said strap insert-able insaid Ieye andfilling the same, the fixed and free portions (jf-said strap having notches located near the ends of theI strap, saidnotches coinciding, and saidfhead being fo-ldable down into said notches to constitute interlocking means between the strap and head.

10. A seal comprising a iieXible strap of soft' metal, having notches formed in its edge, and a head of hard and brittle metal Welded `to one end thereof and having an eye receiving and interlocking with the free end of the strap, a U-shaped slit being formed in said head anddefining the top of the eye portion of the head and also defining the lower edge of the folded portion of the head, 4the head folding dovvn into said notches formed in the strap and interlocking.

With and holding the latter closely to the eye in the head. Y A

1l. A seal comprising a flexible strap of soft' metal, having notches in its top edge,

lll)

said notches in the top edges oi the strap to lock the same.

yrelatively narrow, and which join the main portion of the head belovv the top oit said eye, said side portions bendable down into i2. A seal comprising a iiexible strap ot sott metal, having a top edge notch, anda head lof hard and brittle metal Welded to one end thereof and having an eye receiving the tree end of the strap, said head folded into said notch formed in the strap and interlocking With the strap, said strap also havingoii its under edge a notch which interlocks With the bottoni portion ot the eye, the strap being Welded to the eye with said under notch in interlocked position, said :told also holdingV the bottom notch in permanent inter-y locking engagement With the bottom part of the eye.

13. A seal comprising a fiexible strap of sott metal, having edge notches and a head of hard and brittle metal Welded thereto at one end and having an eyereceivng the tree end of the strap and interlockingwith said tree end. said head having at its vtop a flap above said eye and toldable doivn into said notches formed in the strap and interlockingrv with the strap, said headin the itorin oit' a plate, and said eye comprisingn panel pressed ontk troni said plate, said 'flap toldable down yupon an axis about coincident With. the top ot the eye, said iiap having a llarge interior cutaway rendering the vmain portion of the-.eye visible.

14C. A seal comprising afleXible strap ot i sott metal, having notches, and a head of hard and brittle metal Welded thereto at one i end and having an eye receiving the free end of the strap and interlocking with lsaid tree end, said head having at its top a ilap above! said eye and `toldable down into said notches formed in the strap and interlocking with 1 Y the strap, said head in the torni ot a plate, and said eye comprisinga panel pressed out t'roin said plate, said tlap oldable down upon an airis about coincident with the top of the eye, said flap having a large interior cutaway i end thereof and having an eye receiving andl interlocking With'the tree end of the strap,

said head foldable into said notches formedI in the strap and interlockingwith the strap,

the free end of the strap having an extended tagportion. Y

lti'. A seal comprising a flexible strap ot soft metal, having notches therein and a head of hard and brittle niet-al Welded thereto at one end and having an eye receiving the-free end ot the strap and interlocking with said free end, said head lia-ving Yat its top a flap above. said eye and toldable down into said notches iiornied in the strap and interlocking with the strap, said'h-ead in the form ot a plate, and said eye comprising a panel pressed out from said plate, saidtlap divided into tivo portions by means ot a slit.

17. A seal. comprising a flexible, strap `ot sott metal, having notches therein, and ya head of hard and brittle metal Welded thereto at one end and having an eye receiving they :tree end of the strap and interloekiifig with said free end, said head having at its top a flap above said eye and oldable vdown into 'said notches in the strap and interlocking With the strap, said head in .the form of aplate, and said eye eornprisiner a panel pressed out from said plate, one ot the. side leaves of said flap being scored and the other being horizontally slit.v

\ CLARENCE it. MARTINEAU. 

